Aylin Erengul Gregg

​I was born and raised in Izmir, Türkiye, where I lived until the age of 31. My journey with language began at the age of 12 when I started learning English in a public secondary school. What started as a school subject quickly became a passion. Through English, I discovered new cultures, different ways of thinking, and a world far beyond the one I knew growing up.

That curiosity led me to continue studying English throughout high school and eventually pursue a degree in Linguistics. I wanted to understand not only how languages worked, but also how language shapes the way we communicate, connect, and make sense of the world around us.

For many years, I believed I spoke English well. After all, I had studied it extensively and achieved academic success through it. However, when I first travelled outside of Türkiye at the age of 25 and spent time in England, I quickly realised that language proficiency and belonging are not always the same thing.

Suddenly, I found myself relearning aspects of English that no textbook had prepared me for. Different accents, cultural references, humour, social norms, and unspoken expectations all influenced communication. Back home in Türkiye, I was considered a well-educated professional. Yet in England, there were moments when I felt less capable - not because I lacked knowledge or intelligence, but because I lacked cultural familiarity.

Like many language learners, I worked hard to fit in. I paid close attention to my grammar, my pronunciation, my choice of words, and even my mannerisms. I wanted to be understood. Over time, however, I realised that in trying so hard to fit in, I was slowly distancing myself from who I was.

I came to an important realisation: I did not need to sound like a native speaker. I did not need to speak, think, or behave like someone else to be valued. What I truly wanted was not assimilation - it was acceptance. I wanted to be understood for who I was, not for how closely I could imitate someone else.

Today, my life is enriched by the blending of cultures. I am part of a multicultural family and a two-culture marriage, raising three daughters who are growing up navigating multiple languages, identities, and cultural perspectives. Watching them develop their own sense of belonging has deepened my understanding of the opportunities and challenges that multilingual individuals experience.

These personal experiences have profoundly shaped my work as an educator. They have taught me that language learning is never just about vocabulary and grammar. It is about confidence, identity, belonging, and human connection.

The LEAVES Approach grew from these experiences, combined with years of working with multilingual learners in international schools. It reflects my belief that students should never feel that they have to leave their language, culture, or identity behind in order to succeed. Instead, schools should create environments where learners feel safe, valued, and confident enough to engage with both language and content.

My hope is that through the LEAVES Approach, educators can build classrooms where multilingual learners are affirmed, not assimilated; where they can develop language, achieve academic success, and remain proudly connected to who they are.